The Ultimate Guide to Sports Management

Job Description

Sports managers, who are also commonly referred to as business managers, are responsible for handling the business matters of athletes and sports teams, at both the collegiate and professional levels. A sports manager may be called upon to manage relations with the media and organize promotional events.

It is not uncommon for sports managers to be asked to hire coaches or draft new players, in addition to other members of a team’s athletic staff. Sports managers are also responsible for managing the finances of the individual or organization that they work for.

This list of responsibilities can include preparing financial statements for stakeholders, creating travel accommodations, and making financial arrangements for equipment and uniforms.

The primary job of a sports manager is to make it easier for their client(s) to focus on winning without having to focus their time and energy on the business side of sports. Unlike an agent, a sports manager does not focus on their clients’ contracts.

Instead, their goal is to ensure that each client is receiving the appropriate amount of training, nourishment, and attention so that they are able to compete at their highest level.

What Does a Sports Manager Do?

The specific job function of a sports manager will depend primarily upon their clientele. If he or she is working for a single athlete, then their duties will include keeping the athlete in prime mental and physical health.

These duties can range from hiring a private chef to mediating disputes between the athlete and the team they play for. Sports managers frequently manage their client’s relationship with the media and ensure that they maintain a favorable image.

They must also make sure that all other aspects of their client’s life are well-organized. A sports manager is akin to a spokesperson for their client, and this includes making sure that they are in the best possible position to excel at their sport.

On the other hand, a sports manager who works for a team will have an entirely different set of duties. He or she will act as an overseer for the entire organization and ensuring that the whole network runs smoothly and efficiently.

The manager must oversee the organization’s inner workings and resolve any conflicts that may arise between different departments.

He or she may act as a go between a team’s players and the owner of the franchise, ensure that the marketing team is promoting the ideal image for the sports team, and maintaining the proper balance of employees so that everything runs smoothly.

For example, according to the BLS, the top 25% of sports managers in the U.S. earn $120,290.00 per annum.

What Is the Projected Job Growth for This Field?

First and foremost, it’s important to note that national projections of growth in this field may not accurately reflect short-term or local job growth.

The BLS believes that the demand for sports managers will increase significantly in some arenas through 2024 due to expansion created by the sports industry’s multi-billion dollar profits. However, competition for these jobs will be exceptionally high.

Here are the BLS’s job growth projections through 2024:

Scouts and Coaches – 6% (slower than average)

Sports Managers and Agents – 9% (slightly faster than average)

Sports Marketing Managers – 5% (slower than average)

What Kinds of Companies Hire Sports Managers?

The demand for professional sports managers is much stronger than one might initially think. An individual who has earned their bachelor’s degree in sports management can more than likely find themselves working for one of the following employers:

Universities and colleges

Major or minor league sports teams

Talent agencies

Sports facilities

Marketing and public relations firms

Sport broadcasting companies

Kind of Education You Need to Have

The good news is that, for a person who wishes to enter sports management, there are many different routes that he or she can take.

Many four-year universities and community colleges offer certificate programs or associates’ degrees that are ideal for a person continuing their education or who are preparing for an entry level career.

An associate’s degree should be thought of as a stepping stone or the foundation of future education and career goals. Associate degree programs in sports management have a broad based curriculum that includes introductions and the fundamentals of coaching, physical education, business ethics and law, and management.

The curriculum also focuses on the business side of sports management, including finance and accounting. Whether or not a student needs to obtain a bachelor’s or master’s degree in sports management will depend upon the specific career path they intend to pursue within the sports industry.

A bachelor’s degree will suffice for most jobs in sports finance, sales, public relations, or sports marketing. However, if they intend to pursue an upper-level management job, then a master’s degree will be required.

Ideal majors for those seeking a bachelor’s degree in sports management include:

Sports management

Accounting

Marketing

Business Administration

Students who intend to seek a master’s degree will generally choose a Master of Science or MBA, including:

Master of Science in Sports Management

Masters of Business Administration

Master of Science in Sports Medicine

3 Skills a Successful Sports Manager Must Have

By definition, a sports manager is a leader, and in order to be successful, he or she must have a specific set of skills. Students who are considering entering the world of sports management should begin to cultivate and hone the following skills now.

People Skills – A sports manager must work with a diverse range of individuals from unique backgrounds in both casual and professional settings.Common examples of the types of groups a sports manager will regularly interact with include medical professionals, the media, coaches, scouts, agents, and athletes. For this reason, it is imperative that a sports manager is capable of moving seamlessly from one group to the next – regardless of the setting.

Communication Skills – Communication goes two ways. Sports managers must be able to talk with their clients and/or team, but they must also be able to listen to their needs. Each manager must personally decide how permissive or strict they want to be with their players.It is important for a manager to be able to communicate through the written word as well. Successfully negotiating a written contract requires a sharp eye and the ability to understand legal jargon.

Organizational Skills – Arguably, this is the most important set of skills a sports manager can have.Because many sports managers juggle multiple clients and teams, he or she must be able to multi-task, plan things in advance, keep a calendar, and maintain records. Because a manager’s time is in high demand, they must be able to make effective use of their time.